Furler problems - difficult to furl/unfurl

[roaringgirl]

With the sail off, the swivels should turn extremely easily - any resistance could indicate a problem with a bearing.

If you can see the halyard wrapping, then perhaps the halyard is too loose or stretchable, or there is too much foil between the halyard sheave and the swivel - you could add a strop at the tack to raise it up.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Is the top swivel attached to the halyard with a cranked (bent) shackle? If so have you fitted this the right way round, on my plastimo furler if I fit this the wrong way round the halyard interferes with the top swivel and prevents furling.

View attachment 113696

Hello Barry, yes the top swivel works fine. Its also the correct way around. Theres a little instruction on it aswell.

What I mean is the top bit of the furler system. Ah, I just dont know how to call it properly. Its kinda stuck on top and doesnt want to turn up there. And thats jamming up the whole thing. It does turn, yes, but it takes an effort. And if its under tension with the sail on and me trying to pull it out... Thats not gonna work

 

[roaringgirl]

Hello Barry, yes the top swivel works fine. Its also the correct way around. Theres a little instruction on it aswell.

What I mean is the top bit of the furler system. Ah, I just dont know how to call it properly. Its kinda stuck on top and doesnt want to turn up there. And thats jamming up the whole thing. It does turn, yes, but it takes an effort. And if its under tension with the sail on and me trying to pull it out... Thats not gonna work

Understanding this bit you can't describe might well be the key to helping you fix it. Do you mean that the foil can't rotate around the forestay? If so, how is the halyard wrapping?

 

[wilkinsonsails]

If you have halyard wrap around the stay and it all gets tight ,you need either the plastic donut diverter on the top of the stay or a diverter fitted to the mast .If the halyard swivel is too low on the foil it will twist around ..To check this out try this test .
Try hoisting the sail a bit more if it’s short of the top ,this brings the swivel closer to the mast head sheave and doesn’t give it any spare halyard to play with,if it furls ok you will need a head strop on the sail to make up the difference at the tack of the sail on the drum .Make a small allowance for halyard tension .

 

[DangerousPirate]

Understanding this bit you can't describe might well be the key to helping you fix it. Do you mean that the foil can't rotate around the forestay? If so, how is the halyard wrapping?

Exactly like that. Well, if the top swivel is down and I try to turn it by hand it barely moves at top (drum moves okay) but the swivel works perfectly well.

 

[greeny]

Sounds like the forestay may be unravelling at the top or inside the foil section near the top. Either that or one or more of the plastic bearing bushes have come loose and are jamming inside the foil against the forestay. Not much else up there to go wrong really.
I would approach it by securing a spare halyard to substitute for the forestay in case of its failure. Then go up and have a look. Dependant on what you find you can then dismantle and disconnect the forestay at the bottom and let the foil slide down a bit to enable you to see more of the forestay wire at the top. Watch out for the plastic bearing halves dropping out of the foil as you slide it down though. Its better to have two people to do this as you need 3 hands to get it back up. I managed by myself but it was difficult.

 

[westernman]

How old is the boat? It is highly likely the bearings have seized up due to the original grease going hard. You shoukld take the bearings apart and regrease them. I have never tried the method suggested by pandos, but it might be worth trying.

It works.

My furler is 19th century technology. To furl the jib, it is best to go down wind and hide it behind the main, then take some tension of the halyard. Then works easy peasy. If the halyard is tight, it is impossible to furl. If you are heading to windward, in any wind, then it is hard work by hand (no winch for the furler line).